Occupancy permit (Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi / İskan): what a buyer should verify
In Türkiye, the document commonly called “İskan” is the Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi, or building-use/occupancy permit. It is not the same document as the Yapı Ruhsatı. The building permit authorises construction under an approved project, while the occupancy permit belongs to the stage at which the completed building is assessed for lawful use under the administrative file. For a property buyer, the practical question is not simply whether somebody can show a document called “iskan”, but whether the permit belongs to the exact building, covers the relevant part of the building, corresponds to the approved use, and is consistent with the independent unit being purchased.
Start by distinguishing the building permit from the occupancy permit
A Yapı Ruhsatı is an authorisation to build according to the approved architectural and technical project. A Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi concerns use after completion. The two documents therefore prove different facts. A building can have had a valid construction permit yet still require the use permit after completion. Conversely, the existence of an occupancy permit does not eliminate the need to understand the approved project, later amendments, or the legal status of changes made after the permit was issued. Buyers should avoid treating “ruhsat var” and “iskan var” as interchangeable statements.
Match the permit to the exact property
Check the issuing authority, address, parcel/building information, permit date, approved use and the scope shown on the official record. In a multi-block or mixed-use development, determine whether the document presented applies to the whole development, one block, or only specified parts. The buyer should then compare the independent unit’s block, floor and number with the approved architectural project and the land-registry record. A permit relating to the site generally is not enough if it cannot be connected to the building and unit actually being purchased.
Understand what the occupancy permit proves—and what it does not
The permit is important evidence in the administrative history of a completed building and is relevant to condominium-ownership procedures. TKGM explains that where a building with kat irtifakı has obtained its Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi, the transition to kat mülkiyeti can occur through the statutory land-registry process. That relationship is useful to a buyer because an occupancy document and condominium-title status can be cross-checked. However, an occupancy permit is not a structural-engineering certificate, an earthquake-resistance report, an insurance policy, a valuation, or a guarantee that every later alteration inside every unit remains compliant.
Look for changes made after the permit
A common due-diligence mistake is to verify that an old occupancy permit exists and then ignore the current physical layout. Compare the apartment as it exists today with the approved project. Enclosed balconies, combined rooms or units, added mezzanines, converted common areas, changed façades, new commercial uses, or other material alterations can raise separate planning, building or condominium questions. An occupancy permit issued before such changes does not automatically legalise them. If the present use differs from the approved use, obtain current evidence from the competent municipality or authority and, where necessary, professional advice on the required amendment or permit.
Do not confuse İskan with Yapı Kayıt Belgesi
Yapı Kayıt Belgesi arose from a separate statutory framework and should not be described as the same thing as a normal Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi. The Ministry and TKGM publish special rules for buildings that received Yapı Kayıt Belgesi, including specific conditions for cins değişikliği and condominium procedures. A buyer should identify which document the building actually has, because the legal basis and the questions that follow are different. A sales statement such as “the building is legalised” is too vague to replace the official document.
Use the permit together with the title and approved project
For an apartment purchase, the strongest file is internally consistent: the parcel and building in the land registry match the approved project; the independent-unit number and floor match the physical apartment; the occupancy document relates to the completed building/use; and the condominium status is understood. If the property remains under kat irtifakı despite apparent completion, ask why and verify the administrative and registry position rather than assuming the status is merely clerical.
Closing checklist for the buyer
Before a material payment, obtain or verify the occupancy record through the competent authority, note its date and scope, compare it with the current building and approved project, and record any later alteration or use change. Recheck related title and condominium information close to closing. If a mismatch remains—wrong block, partial permit, different approved use, unexplained alteration, or inconsistent independent-unit identity—treat it as an unresolved due-diligence item. The correct objective is not to collect one reassuring document, but to build a coherent chain showing that the building was authorised for use and that the exact unit being purchased still corresponds to the legal and approved property.